Folding chair having a metallic frame



y 5, 1951 J. L. CABLE 2,552,883

FOLDING CHAIR HAVING A METALLIC FRAME Filed Feb. 13, 1946 Tlg 3 $2 ZJim/ ORI E- 31y flafwflkmn Patented May 15, 1951 FOLDING CHAIR HAVING AMETALLIC FRAME Julius L. Cable, Boston, Mass.

Application February 13, 1946, Serial No. 647,227

3 Claims.

This invention relates to chairs and more particularly, though notexclusively, to chairs which may be folded.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a chairwhich is very light in weight, yet extremely strong, and which vn-dsitself to efficient mass production from inexpensive materials.

It is another object of the present invention to construct the frameworkof the chair from a minimum number of steel bars which are cut from flatstrip stock, and finished by simple bending operations.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to use thin gaugestrip stock of light weight for making the bars of the framework of thechair, and to configurate the strip stock cross-section'ally into ashape designed to lend it maximum rigidity, by uninterruptedly feedingthe stock lengthwise through cooperating forming rolls.

The foregoing and other objects of the inven tion, together with meanswhereby the latter may be carried into effect, will best be under--stood from the following description of an illustrative embodiment shownin the accompanying drawing: in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chair embodying the presentinvention,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the chair, taken on the line 22of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevation of a certain part ofthe chair, as viewed in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 cf Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary section through the chair, taken onthe line 68 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, the referencenumeral iii designates a chair which, in the present instance, is of thefolding type. The framework of the chair con sists of sections l2 andHi, which intersect each other when the chair is unfolded as shown inFig. l. The frame sections I2 and M are pivotally connected at it attheir intersections in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter.The frame sections 12 and M are formed by U-shaped steel bars which areinverted to each other, as shown in Fig. l. The frame section 92 islonger than the other frame section It, and comprises the front legs l8and the back rest support 2c of the chair, while the frame section Itcomprises the rear legs 22 of the chair. The rear legs 22 of the chairare joined at the bottom by the integral yoke 24 of the U-shaped sectionHi. The frame section 52 is reinforced by spaced cross ties 26 and 2'8,the ends 33 of which are bent and riveted or otherwise secured at 32 tothe frame section i2. The frame section M is reinforced by a tie bar 34which is generally V-shaped and has its diverging legs 35 terminating inparallel ends 38. The apex 40 of the tie bar 34 is riveted at 42 to theyoke 24 of the frame section It, while the parallel ends 38 are securedto the legs 22 by rivets 44 and also by the previously mentioned pivotconnections I 5 between the frame sections I2 and M.

The legs 22 of the frame section Hi are pivotally connected at the topwith seat-mounting angle irons 59 as by rivets 52. lhe seat 54 mayconsist of a wooden board 55 (Fig. 6), screwed or otherwise secured tothe angle irons 50 as at 5 (Fig. 2), and preferably having a cover 58 ofany suitable material, such as leather or a textile fabric, forinstance. For comfort, the seat may also be somewhat upholstered. Whenthe chair is unfolded as shown in Fig. 1, the seat 54 rests on the crosstie 28.

The steel bars of which the frame sections i2 and Hi are composed, aremade from strip stock 56 which has been formed into the crosssectionalshape shown in Fig. 3. The strip stock thus formed provides alongitudinal channel 62. The strip stock for the frame section l2 hasbeen bent into U-shape so that the portions of the channel 52 in theparallel legs of said frame section face each other (Fig. 1). A backrest 66 is placed into the channel 62 in the yoke portion of the framesection 12, and secured therein by suitable fastening means, such aswood screws 58. Since the present chair is of the folding type, theopposite portions of the channel 62 in the parallel legs of the framesection i2 are also used as guide channels for lateral tongues 10 on theseat-mounting angles 53. The tongues iii are preferably punched from theangles 59 as at 12 (Fig. 6) and bent outwardly so as to project into theadjacent portions of the channel 62 in the frame section l2. To fold thechair, the seat 511 is lifted off the cross tie 28 and the framesections l 2 and M folded together, whereby the lateral tongues it onthe seat ride upwardly in the adjacent portions of the channel 52. Whenthe chair is unfolded, the tongues Hi ride downwardly in the adjacentportions of the channel 62. Hence, the tongues it and the channel 62serve to guide the seat 54 into folded and unfolded position, as will bereadily understood.

The seat-mounting angles 5t are provided with downwardly extending lugs30 which bear against the cross tie 28 when the seat is unfolded (Fig.1), thereby preventing the unfolded frame sections 12 and M fromcollapsing. The lugs are preferably punched from the angles 50 as at 82(Fig. 6), and bent downwardly in the fashion illustrated in Fig. 1.

The pivots it on the framework of the chair 3 are preferably formed byrivets which connect the intersecting portions of the frame sections [2and I l .and the adjacent ends 33 of the V- shaped tie 34. Since thepivoted portions of the frame sections l2 and H3, and also the adjacentends 38 of the V-shaped tie 34, have been weakened by drilling holesthrough them for the reception of the rivets I6, they are reinforced bysplit steel sleeves 90 and 92. The sleeves 99 are pressedover thedrilled portions of the frame section i2, while the sleeves 92 arepressed over the drilled portions of the frame section 59 and tie 34, asshown in Fig. 5. The sleeves 99 and 92 not only reinforce the drilled,and, hence, weakened, portions of the frame sections i2, i9 and tie 99,but also afford additional layers of steel through which the rivets 59extend, thus preventing the rivets it from tearing or exces sivelywearing the drilled portions of the frame sections H, 12 and tie 39,even when an exceptionally heavy person sits on the chair.

The tie 34, by its Vshape and attachment to the legs 2'2 and yoke 24 ofthe frame section H1 in the manner shown in Fig. 1, greatly reinforcesthe frame section 2. Thus, by securing the parallel ends 38 of the tie34 to a length of the chair legs 22, the latter are separatelyreinforced against longitudinal collapse, while the additionalattachment of the apex 40 of the V-shaped tie 34 to the yoke 29 of theframe section M reinforces the latter against collapse in any direction.

Hence, the provision of the V-shaped tie 3 3 on the frame section Mrenders the latter exceptionally rigid. This is of decided advantagesince the frame section i l of the present chair carries the greaterportion of the weight of a person sitting on the chair, particularlywhen the person leans against the backrest.

' The strip stock from which the frame sections I2 and M and preferablyalso the ties 26, 29 and 3d, are made, is preferably thin gauge steel oflight weight, so as to reduce the weight of the chair to a minimum.However, in order that strip stock of very thin gauge may safely be usedfor the intended purpose, the same is configurated cross-sectionallyinto the shape shown best in Fig. 3. More particularly, the strip stockis c-onfigurated cross-sectionally so as to provide opposite, roundbeads 6i and a web or bridge 63 joining said beads. The stock is thuscontinuously curved cross-sectionally with repeated reversals in thecurve at 65 and 87 (Fig. 3) making for maximum rigidity of theconfigurated stock. Stock of this crosssectional shape may be obtainedeconomically and efficiently by feeding strip stock uninterruptedlythrough appropriate forming rolls (not shown). The various lengths forthe frame sections #2, Hi, the cross ties 25, 28 and the V-shaped tie 34may then be cut from the formed stock, and simply bent into the shapesshown in Fig. l. The ties 29 and 28 may then be riveted to the framesection 12 to form a subassembly, and the \/shaped tie 34 may be rivetedto the frame section 14 at 42, and 44 to form another sub-assembly. Thereinforcement sleeves 99 and 92 may also be applied to thesesub-assemblies. The seat 54 may be assembled and mounted on the angles59 to form an additional sub-assembly. Thereafter, the severalsub-assemblies may readily be assembled into the complete chair.

Press-fitted over, or otherwise secured to, the lower ends of the frontlegs 18 of the chair are "caps 99 which lend to these legs a morefinished "2' appearance and reinforce them where they would be liable tocollapse cross-sectionally if directly standin on the floor. The backrest 66 may be made from a board of inexpensive ply-wood, and suitablycovered with the same material as the seat 54. In order to prevent theholding screws 68 from splitting the plywood, or working loose therein,within a short time, a piece 92 of thin sheet metal is wrapped aroundeach side of the board in the manner shown in Fig. 1, and a screw 68 isforced therethrough and into the board. Each sheet metal piece 92 may beattached to the wooden board of the back rest 66 by an ordinary nail ofwhich the end is hammered over against the board as at 94.

I claim:

1. A folding chair having a seat, a supporting frame therefor, saidframe being formed by joined bars, each made from a steel stripconfigurated cross-sectionally so that its side edges form round beadsand its intermediate portion forms a continuously curved web joiningeach bead in a reversing, continuous curve, said supporting framecomprising two U-shaped bars each having a yoke and parallel legs spacedapart to receive said seat therebetween, pivots connecting the legs ofsaid bars intermediate their ends so that said bars may be foldedsubstantially into a common plane, a straight rigid tie across the legsof one of said bars, a rigid V-shaped tie having two legs diverging fromthe apex of the V and continuing as parallel ends, means including saidpivots for attaching said apex and ends to the yoke and legs,respectively, of the other bar, said seat being pivotally connected withthe free ends of the legs of said other bar and resting on said straighttie when the chair is unfolded, and means to limit the unfolding of saidbars.

2. A folding chair as set forth in claim 1, having a reinforcing sleeveover the pivoted portion of each leg of said other bar and the adjacentend of said V-shaped tie, and each of said pivots extendin through theadjacent sleeve.

3. A folding chair as set forth in claim 1, having a reinforcing sleeveover the pivoted portion of each leg of said one bar, and a reinforc ingsleeve over the pivoted portion of each leg of said other bar and theadjacent end of said V-shaped tie, and each of said pivots extendingthrough the adjacent sleeves.

JULIUS L. CABLE.

. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

